“My dad always teaches me stuff and has helped with my gymnastics. He taught me how to fly a drone, and then helped me climb a tree after I got it stuck. He does fun things with me, and takes off work to spend time with me. And he’s a great chef.”

I lost my dad ten years ago in a tragic turn of events. He tried saving someone from drowning in the ocean, and sacrificed his life for another. He taught us tolerance, love for others and to respect each other despite differences. I married a man who holds those same values and am pleased that those are the same values he now teaches to our children and to the children he coaches. God blessed me with my dad and with an incredible husband. I tip my hat to all those dads that instill these values in the lives of children.

My dad is a Sicilian man who turns 80 one month from today……he looks and acts about 60 at most. He is going a bit cuckoo in the head(wanting to move even farther away from family at the age of 80???) but other than that, he makes me laugh.

My dad was a traditional Scotsman, didn’t have much to say, wasn’t a warm man, but he always had my back. On Maslow, he never got much about basic survival in his head. He was quite successful, but always pounded into me basic survival skills, like proper use of tools, how to build things of necessity, preparing for emergencies, and, being Scottish, thrifty habits. He died the year I got married. He was in our home up in Washington. His last words to me were “don’t forget to turn on the fan in the bathroom when you shower, and don’t forget to turn off the light when you leave.” And he was gone. Not too many people shake their head and laugh when a parent dies. My mom and I did. It was so him.

The contest is over, but I so enjoy talking about My Dad. He was a farmers boy, never liked that My Mom sweet talked him into animals into the house. He didn’t like kids lol but he liked me. All those kid noises bothered him. I was an only child whom was quiet by nature. He gave me his gray and white legos. He taught me how to facet. He was very proud of me and had a badge that said “Robins Dad.” He was in the gem & mineral club, so we spent many long hours faceting on exhibit & I would pray nobody would talk to me. My dad was such a peoples person, everyone wanted to talk to him.He loved doing things for everybody but my darling mom. His chore list was always the last thing on his mind 😉 Before 911 was there, my Dad was there. So many strangers my parents took to the emergency room. My parents were very medically handy from there generation of having to do for themselves. Ouch the emergency little surgeries on our kitchen table. As a tiny child sometimes the bleeding strangers would frighten me, and My parents would tell me to just stop, be brave instead.